Heather plant named `Alicia`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Heather plant named `Alicia`, characterized by its large, pure white flower buds; upright plant habit which allows for ease of mechanical pruning; freely branching habit; strong stems; and good keeping quality at low temperatures.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heatherplant, botanically known as Calluna vulgaris, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name `Alicia`.

The new Heather is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Edewecht, Germany. The objective of the breeding programwas to create new Heather cultivars having an upright growth habit and along flowering time.

The new Heather originated from a cross made by the inventor of theinventor's proprietary Heather seedling selections. The male, or pollen,parent is identified as number 89-32-2 and the female, or seed, parentis identified as number 89-32-1. The cultivar `Alicia ` was discoveredand selected by the inventor in September, 1991, as a flowering plantwithin the progeny of this cross in a controlled environment inEdewecht, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heather by terminal cuttings taken atEdewecht, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this newHeather are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Alicia`. These characteristics incombination distinquish `Alicia` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large, pure white flower buds.

2. Upright plant habit which allows for ease of mechanical pruning.

3. Freely branching habit.

4. Strong stems.

5. Good keeping quality at low temperatures.

The new Heather has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics differentiate the new Heather from otherHeathers commercially know and used, namely the cultivar `Melanie`(disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,789):

1. Plants of the new Heather are more upright than plants of thecultivar `Melanie`. Plants of the new Heather are easier to prunemechanically than plants of the cultivar `Melanie`.

2. Plants of the new Heather have stronger stems and therefore are lessthan likely to fall apart compared to plants of the cultivar `Melanie`.

3. Plants of the new Heather have larger flower buds than plants of thecultivar `Melanie`.

4. Plants of the new Heather tolerate low temperatures, that is, -8°C.,better than plants of the cultivar `Melanie`.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical plantof `Alicia`.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of mature flower buds.The flower and foliage colors in these photographs appear different thanthe actual colors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Edewecht, Germany, undercommercial field conditions.

Botanical classification: Calluna vulgaris cultivar `Alicia`.

Commercial classification: Broom Heather.

Parentage:

Male, or pollen, parent.--Inventor's proprietary Heather seedlingselection number 89-32-2.

Female, or seed, parent.--Inventor's proprietary Heather seedlingselection number 89-32-1.

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--About 30 and 40 days with soil temperatures of 25 and18° C., respectively.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Generally low mounded, basally-branched shrub, very freelybranching. Flower spikes arise at terminal apices. Numerous axillarybranches below flower spikes. Appropriate for 500-ml to 3-litercontainers.

Plant height from soil level to top of plant plane.--About 16 cm.

Growth rate.--Moderate to rapid.

Vigor.--Moderate to high.

Crop time.--About 14 months are required from unrooted cuttings tofinishing in a 10 to 15-cm container. Plants are generally grown withoutsupplemental heat and pruned twice during production.

Foliage description.--Opposite, scale-like and bractiolate, sessile,arranged on stems which are roughly square in cross-section. Size:Length: 1 to 2 mm. Width: 0.3 to 0.8 mm. Color: Mature foliage is darkergreen than 147A.

Flower description:

Appearance.--Flowers formed at the terminals of main branches. Flowerspikes have numerous uniformly-spaced auxiliary verticils with clustersof 2 to 4, or more, mature buds outwardly radiating from the apex ofoppositely-placed, short branches arising from leaf axils. Length ofspikes is normally about 10 to 13 cm. The number of buds formed is aboutaverage for the species. Flower buds do not open to a flower, but ratherremain in the bud stage. The corolla and the reproductive organs of thenew Heather are identical to those of the species.

Flowering habit.--Recurrent.

Natural flowering season.--The new Heather produces flower buds in thefall (September through November) and remain in the bud stage for about6 months, or until early spring.

Flower bud description.--Shape: Elliptic. Size: Length: About 5 mm.Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 155C.

Disease resistance: No known resistance to Heather diseases has beenobserved to date on plants grown under commercial conditions. Infectionwith Glomorella cingulata and Botrytis cinerea is possible.

Seed production: The new Heather does not produce seed because the styleis covered by the sepals.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heather plant named`Alicia`, as illustrated and described.